Dry Pouring
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| Dry Pouring | |
|---|---|
| Practical Life - Fine Motor Skills | |
 | |
| Level | Primary |
| Prerequisites | Carrying a Tray |
| Materials | 2 small pitchers dry rice or beans tray |
The purpose of this activity to teach the child how to pour dry materials. This activity also prepares the child for the Liquid Pouring activity.
Presentation
1. Pick up tray with two hands. Carry to table.
2. Set tray down. Sit down.
3. Look at empty and full tumblers.
4. Grasp full tumbler on left with both hands. Thumbs nearest you and other fingers wrapped around tumbler.
5. Move tumbler up and over empty tumbler on right.
6. Tilt tumbler and pour dry materials slowly into center of other tumbler. Observe material pouring.
7. Replace empty tumbler back to left side. Pick up spilled material.
8. Turn tray around. Repeat above steps 4 to 7. (Pouring from left to right always.)
9. When finished, again check for spilled material and pick up.
10. Stand up and push in chair. Carry tray back to shelf.
Points of Interest
1. Color, texture and size of materials poured.
2. Sound of material pouring.
3. Bounce of material.
4. Shape, size, color and feel of tumblers and tray.
5. Walking with tray of tumblers.
6. Watching tumbles become full and then empty.
7. Cleaning up.
8. Not letting tumblers touch when pouring.
Control of Error
1. Materials not restored to original state.
2. Spilled materials.
3. Materials not returned to shelf.
Variations and Extensions
- You could use pitchers without handles:
- You could have one pitcher and a few small glasses:
- Source: Counting Coconuts
Material
Clear glass or plastic pitchers are helpful for the child who is new to this activity because it makes it easier when the child can see through the side how much is left to pour.
Lots of material could be used to pour: rice, lentils, beans, unpopped popcorn, small dry pasta, beads, etc.
Source: Leptir Montessori Blog
Further Reading
- Basic Montessori: Learning Activities for Under-fives by David Gettman, pages 42-44
- Teaching Montessori in the Home: The Pre-School Years by Elizabeth G. Hainstock, pages 24-25
- Teach Me to Do It Myself by Maja Pitamic, pages 26-27
